Reclining chairs



ea. 22, 1959 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 2,918,112

RECLINING CHAIRS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1957 INVENTOR. FRIDTJOF F. SCHLIEPHACKE ATTORNEY.

1959 F. F. CHLlEPHACKE 2,918,112

RECLINING CHAIRS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16, 1957 INVENTOR. FRIDTJOFF. SCHLIEPHACKE ATTORNEY.

Dec. 22, 1959 Filed July 16, 1957 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE RECLINING CHAIRS 6Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. FRIDTJOF F. SCHLIEPHACKE NEY.

Dec. 22, 1959 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 2,918,112

RECLINING CHAIRS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 l Filed July 16, 1957 INVENTOR.FRIDTJOF F SCHLIEPHACKE Dec. 22, 1959 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 2,913,112

RECLINING CHAIRS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 16, 1957 INVENTOR. FRIDTJOFF. SCHLIEPHACKE #5.; ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1959 F. F. SCH'LIEPHACKE2,918,112

RECLINING .CHAIRS I Filed July 16, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. FRIDTJOF E SCHLIEPHACKE A TTORNE K RECLINING CHAlRS Fridtjof F.Schliephacke, Berlin-Schmargenderf, Germany, assignor to Anton Lorenz,Boynton Beach, Fla.

Application July 16, 1957, Serial No. 672,286

3 Claims. (Cl. 155106) This invention relates to chairs and pertainsparticularly to reclining chairs having a backrest, a seat, and a legrest, all supported on a base frame and movable with respect to saidbase frame and with respect to each other to assume a recliningposition.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reclining chair inwhich the backrest, seat and leg rest, when moved to reclining position,support the body of the occupant in a relaxed comfortable position.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide aconstruction in which the operative connections between the parts of thechair are such as to permit a compact arrangement of parts adapted toconform to modern styling having a light, graceful appearance.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide aconstruction in which, in the upright position of the chair, the legrest is located beneath the seat and is substantially concealed fromview, and in which, in the reclining position of the chair, the leg restis swung downwardly, forwardly and upwardly to a position in advance ofthe seat.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes ofillustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of the chair, one side frame being brokenaway, the chair being shown in upright position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the chair in reclining position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, one side frame being broken away, thechair being shown in upright position.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of chair, one side framebeing broken away, the chair being shown in upright position.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the chair in reclining position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view, one side frame being broken away, thechair being shown in upright position.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the base frame comprisespairs of legs 1, 2 tied together transversely by cross bars 3, a to forma supporting cradle for the side frames 5, 6 which are rigidly securedthereto. The side frames may be rigidly connected by a cross frame 7 andby the tie rod 7'. The legs 1, 2, cross bars 3, 4 and tie rod '7 mayconveniently be made of suitable structural metal shapes such as rods ortubing, and the side frames 5, 6 and cross frame 7 may conveniently bemade of wood or metal, upholstered or not, as desired. The cradle andside frames together form a base frame unit supporting the movable partsof the chair as hereinafter described.

The movable parts of the chair include a backrest 8, a seat 9, and a legrest 10. Each of these movable parts may be of any desired type ofstandard construction, upholstered, or not, as desired. As shown, eachof these movable parts is an upholstered type, in which the upholsteryis mounted on a suitable supporting frame. In the following description,the operative connections between the movable parts will be describedwith respect to only one side of the chair, it being understood thatsaid parts are duplicated on the other side of the chair.

The backrest 8 is pivotally mounted on the side frames 5, 6 by means ofa pivot pin 11 mounted in the backrest side frame 12 and extending intosocket 13 in the side frame. Also rigidly mounted on the backrest sideframe 12 is a bar 14 which extends downwardly from the pin 11 forpivotal connection to the free end of bar 15 by means of pivot pin 16.Bar 15 is rigidly mounted on seat frame 17 and extends rearwardlytherefrom for connection to pivot pin 16, thereby supporting the seat.As the backrest swings backwardly to reclining position, the bar 15moves the seat forwardly slightly.

The leg rest 10 is supported to swing on the front end of the seat 9 ashereinafter described, and means are provided for actuating the leg restfrom the backrest so that as the backrest swings backwardly to recliningposition, the leg rest is moved to leg supporting position. Means arealso provided for actuating the seat from the backrest, so that as thebackrest swings backwardly, the level of the seat is raised slightly,and at the same time its angle of slope toward the rear is increasedslightly.

Thus, the bar 14 is extended downwardly below the pivot pin 16 toreceive a pivot pin 22, pivotally connected to one end of link 23, theother end of which is pivotally connected by pivot pin 24 to one arm ofbell crank 25, pivotally mounted on the side frame by pivot pin 26. Theouter end of this arm of the bell crank 25 is pivotally connected bypivot pin 27 to one end of a link 28.

Link 28, which may be referred to as the leg rest actuating link, ispivotally connected at its other end by pivot pin'29 to one arm of hellcrank 30 which is pivotally mounted on the front end of seat 9 by pivotpin 31. The other arm of the bell crank 30 is pivotally connected bypivot pin 32 to one end of link 33, the other end of which is pivotallyconnected to the leg rest 10 by pivot pin 34.

One end of link 35 is also pivotally connected to the front end of seat9 by pivot pin 36, and the other end of said link is pivotally connectedby pivot pin 37 to one end of link 38. The other end of link 38 ispivotally connected by pivot pin 39 to the leg rest 16, and anintermediate point of said link is pivotally connected by pivot pin 40to the arm of bell crank 30 which is connected to link 33. Thus, whenthe bell crank 25 is rocked on its pivot and the link 28 is moved fromthe position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, the bell crank 30 is actuatedto swing the leg rest downwardly, forwardly and upwardly to a positionin advance of the seat, as shown in Fig. 2.

The other arm of hell crank 25 is pivotally connected to guide link 18by pivot pin 19, and said guide link, in turn, is pivotally connected tothe seat 9 by pivot pin 20.

In the upright position of the chair, as illustrated i Figs. 1, 2 and 3,the backrest is tilted slightly backwardly from a vertical position, andthe seat slopes slightly downwardly from front to back in order to pro:vide a comfortable seated posture for the occupant. In

this position, the leg rest is located beneath the seat, and is almostentirely concealed from view. In the reclining position of the chair, asillustrated in Fig. 2, the backrest is tilted backwardly, as shown, andthe seat is moved forwardly and upwardly while the angle of slope isincreased slightly. At the same time, the leg rest has been swungdownwardly, forwardly and upwardly to a position to support the legs ofthe occupant.

The shift from upright to reclining position may be brought aboutwhenever one sitting in the chair in its upright position exertsbackward pressure against the backrest by shifting the weight of thebody or by pressing forwardly against the side frames of the base unitor both. As the backrest swings backwardly on the fixed pivot 11, levers14 and 15 move the seat forward slightly, while at the same time lever14, acting through link 23, rocks bell crank 25 forwardly. This has tworesults. First, it actuates the leg rest actuating link 28 to actuatethe leg rest as previously described. Second, acting through the guidelink 18 it raises the level of the seat 9 and increases its angle ofslope.

If now, it is desired to resume upright position, it is only necessaryto exert slight downward pressure on the leg rest, accompanied, ifdesired, by pressing backwardly against the side frames to relieve thebackward pressure of the body against the backrest. As the uprightposition is resumed, the weight of the occupant, acting through link 18,assists in restoring the leg rest to its original position and inholding the leg rest in fully retracted position.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 4, and 6, the backrest 108 is againpivotally mounted on the side frames 105, 106 by means of pivot pin 111mounted on the backrest side frame 112 and extending into a socket 113in the side frame. Rigidly mounted on the backrest side frame 112 is abar 114 which extends downwardly from the pin 111 for pivotal connectionto the free end of bar 115 by means of pivot pin 116. Bar 115 is rigidlymounted on seat frame 117 and extends rearwardly therefrom forconnection to pivot pin 116, thereby supporting the seat. As thebackrest swings backwardly to reclining position, the bar moves the seatforwardly slightly.

The bar 114 also extends upwardly from the pin 111 and is pivotallyconnected by pivot pin 142 to a link 143, which, in turn is pivotallyconnected by pivot pin 144 to a lever 145. Lever 145 is pivotallyconnected to bar by pivot pin 146. The lower end of said lever ispivotally connected by pivot pin 122 to one end of link 123, the otherend of which is pivotally connected by pivot pin 124 to one arm of bellcrank, here in the form of a triangular plate 125, pivotally mounted onthe side frame by pivot pin 126. The outer end of this arm of the bellcrank is pivotally connected by pivot pin 127 to one end of link 128.

Link 128 is pivotally connected at its other end by pivot pin 129 to onearm of a bell crank 130 which is pivotally mounted on the front end ofseat 109 by pivot pin 131. The other arm of the bell crank 130 ispivotally connected by pivot pin 132 to one end of link 133, the otherend of which is pivotally connected to the leg rest 110 by pivot pin134. One end of link 135 is also pivotally connected to the front end ofseat 109 by pivot pin 136, and the other end of said link is pivotallyconnected by pivot pin 137 to one end of, link 138. The other end oflink 138 is pivotally connected by pivot pin 139 to the leg rest 110,and an intermediate point of said link is pivotally connected by pivotpin 140 to link 133. Thus, when the bell crank 125 is rocked on itspivot and the link 128 is moved from the position of Fig. 4 to that ofFig. 5, the bell crank 130 is actuated to swing the leg rest downwardly,forwardly and upwardly to a position in advance of the seat as shown inFig. 5.

The other arm of bell crank 125 is pivotally connected to guide link 118by pivot pin 119, and said guide link, in turn, is pivotally connectedto the seat 109 by pivot pin 120.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified andembodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A reclining chair comprising a base unit having opposed, spaced sideframes, a backrest located between said side frames and pivotallymounted on said side frames, a seat located between said side frames, abar rigidly connected to said seat extending rearwardly therefrom andpivotally connected to said backrest at a point below the point wheresaid backrest is mounted on said side frames, whereby said seat is movedforwardly when said backrest is tilted backwardly on said side frames, abell crank pivotally mounted on said side frame, means operativelyconnected to said bell crank to said backrest to actuate said bell crankwhen said backrest is tilted backwardly on said side frame, said meanscomprising a link pivotally connected to said bell crank, a leverpivotally connected to said link and pivotally connected to said bar,and a second link pivotally connected to said lever and pivotallyconnected to said backrest, a leg rest, a link and lever systemoperatively connecting said leg rest to the forward end of the seat forswinging movement thereon, said leg rest being normally located beneathsaid seat between said side frames, means operatively connecting saidbell crank to said link and lever system to swing said leg restdownwardly, forwardly and upwardly when said bell crank is actuated, anda link connected to said bell crank and to said seat to lift said seatwhen said bell crank is operated.

2. A reclining chair comprising a base unit having opposed, spaced sideframes, a backrest located between said side frames and pivotallymounted on said side frames, a seat located between said side frames, atbar rigidly connected to said seat extending rearwardly therefrom andpivotally connected to said backrest at a point below the point wheresaid backrest is mounted on said side frames, whereby said seat is movedforwardly when said backrest is tilted backwardly on said side frames, abell crank pivotally mounted on said side frame, means operativelyconnecting said bell crank to said back rest to actuate said bell crankwhen said backrest is tilted backwardly on said side frame, a leg rest,a link and lever system operatively connecting said leg rest to theforward end of the seat for swinging movement thereon, said leg restbeing normally located beneath said seat between said side frames, meansoperatively connecting said bell crank to said link and lever system toswing said leg rest downwardly, forwardly and upwardly when said bellcrank is actuated, said means including a second bell crank pivotallymounted on said seat, a link connecting said first and second bellcranks, and a link connecting said second bell crank to said leg rest,and a link connected to said first bell crank and to said seat to liftsaid seat when said bell crank is operated.

3. A reclining chair comprising a base unit having opposed, spaced sideframes, a backrest located between said side frames and pivotallymounted on said side frames, a seat located between said side frames, abar rigidly connected to said seat extending rearwardly therefrom andpivotally connected to said backrest at a point below the point wheresaid backrest is mounted on said side frames, whereby said seat is movedforwardly when said backrest is tilted backwardly on said side frames, abell crank pivotally mounted on said side frame, means operativelyconnecting said bell crank to said backrest to actuate said bell crankwhen said backrest is tilted backwardly on said side frame, a leg rest,a link and lever system operatively connecting said leg rest to theforward end of the seat for swinging movement thereon, said leg restbeing normally located beneath said seat between said side frames, meansoperatively connecting said bell crank to said link and lever system toswing said leg rest downwardly, forwardly and upwardly when said bellcrank is actuated, said means comprising a second bell crank pivotallymounted on said seat, a link connecting said first and second bellcranks, a link connecting said second bell crank to said leg rest, and apair of pivotally connected links, one of which is pivotally connectedto said seat and the other of which is pivotally connected to said legrest, one of said links being pivotally connected to said second bellcrank, and a link connected to said first bell crank and to 6 said seatto lift said seat when said bell crank is operated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,776,418 Dujardin Sept. 23, 1930 2,660,225 Luckhardt Nov. 24, 19532,849,052 Schliephacke Aug. 26, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 158,394 GermanyFeb. 22, 1905

